


After

by tatsue akashiro (smol_demon_giyuu)



Series: fics i wanted but could never find [2]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Author Is Sleep Deprived, I think?, Nice Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Third Person, Post-Canon, Post-Rumbling (Shingeki no Kyojin), Soft Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Sort Of, Tags May Change, actually spoilers for everything past ch115, ch115 spoilers, wow there’s a tag for that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 03:28:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29960262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smol_demon_giyuu/pseuds/tatsue%20akashiro
Summary: After the rumbling, Levi retires from the military and lives the life he’s always dreamed of.(MAJOR MANGA SPOILERS.)(MAY EDIT.)
Series: fics i wanted but could never find [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2125320
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	After

**Author's Note:**

> so this just came to mind when I remembered Isayama said Levi would like to open a tea shop. then I thought, if he survived the rumbling, then he would probably want to settle down and finally open that tea shop. and post-canon Levi seemed like a good idea. this is the result of my 3am thoughts.
> 
> First ever SnK fic so pls be kind ;-;

All was well.

Everything was bright, peaceful, beautiful.

A soft wind blew, its light touch caressing the alleys, rooftops and countless streets, 

A lone bell jingled, suddenly breaking the silence. It hung above the door of a secluded little building, its quiet chime ringing throughout the still air.

The tea shop at the end of the street.

If you went into said shop, you’d find a cozy, quaint space, tables and chairs scattered around in an orderly fashion, with minimal decorations that still enhanced the whole atmosphere. And everything was _clean_. Every piece of furniture, every table, cup… Hell, even the _floor_ seemed to be sparkling with how clean they all were.

People loved to go there, whether to enjoy the excellent teas, chat with other patrons or to simply relax and unwind. This shop was almost never empty, but at the same time never too noisy. The citizens basked in the relaxing aura this place gave off, unconsciously staying quiet as they rested. And if one were to accidentally speak too loudly, the owner would be sure to come and remind you to keep your voice down, so as not to disturb the others.

He would never be too impolite, or too brash. He’d simply put a pale finger to his lips, or whisper a few quiet words and he’d be on his way. He made the best teas in the city, people liked to say, or maybe even the whole world. 

He’d mostly be seen with a black or white long-sleeved dress shirt and black pants, sometimes having a plain white apron and always-present pristine cravat to complete the look. He had black hair, styled in an undercut with bangs cut short so they hung slightly over his eyes. He had a slender figure, and was quite short too. His narrowed eyes were a dark colour, grey like an incoming storm. Or, correction- _eye_.

That was his left. The other was marred by a long, thin scar that started just above his eyebrow and trailed to his lip. A smaller scar adorned that cheek with tiny, scattered ones on the left, under his eye. The right eye was milky white resembling a pale moonstone, its sight gone forever but if you looked closer you would be able to see hints of the steel orb it had once been.

He made his teas with careful precision and grace, hands moving quickly and carefully to prepare the drink. Watching him, you’d get sucked into the beautiful, fluid motions, gentle but firm at the same time. He moved like a magician would put on a show for his viewers, like this were all just an intricate dance. One might think he made the whole process an art form in itself.

And as he came to serve you, carefully sliding the china cup onto the table along with a saucer and a soft greeting, eyes cold, yet warm and full of kindness...

You would see he walked with a noticeable limp. One knee was smashed, broken beyond repair. Just pay even more attention, and you’d notice two fingers on his right hand were _missing_.

They said he had once been a famous captain in the military, fought in a deadly war that killed too many of his comrades. And then when he was fighting against an enemy nation, there had been an accident that nearly killed him. That was how he had gotten his scars, and lost those fingers. But he survived, and was here now, living as a simple civilian. One who didn’t know him well could only wonder what such a man would be doing living like this. It was pretty much a mystery as to how he’d come to be here.

It was also said that in addition to being a top-ranking military officer, he was incredibly strong. Some told of his being a well-known thug before joining the military, of his fierce reputation which struck fear into the hearts of those who opposed him. Also, he was said to have top-notch fighting skills, which had earned him the title of ‘Humanity’s Strongest Soldier’.

Despite the rumors, he did show a gentle side. He was known to be kind to those in need. He’d offer food, short-term lodging and some money, enough that they would be able to look after themselves for a while. He was also an avid supporter of charities, especially those which helped homeless orphans. He would routinely donate money to those charities and would never refuse anyone who needed help. He also seemed to have a soft spot for children. Those actions, paired with the popularity of his shop led to his having quite a good reputation among the citizens.

Sometimes, the patrons would see him staring wistfully out the window, possibly reminiscing about the past. The decorations would also give small hints to his background, such as the double-winged emblem above the entrance, and the long, twin swords that rested on a shelf behind the counter that you could see as he worked.

Ask nicely enough, and he _might_ tell you something about the life he previously led, the battle-hardened, gruelling life of a soldier.

* * *

The man leaned over the counter of his shop, watching his customers interact. After so long, he had lived past the war, and had now fulfilled his longtime dream. Life was starkly different from what he was once used to. What had been days of waking to yells, screaming, riding out on a horse outside the walls only to come back with half his men gone, sleepless nights mourning the loss of his comrades, filled with planning, meetings, killing and bloodshed, was now sleeping peacefully in bed with no reason to jump up, ready to fight (apart from the odd burglar now and then), looking after his shop, only going out a few times a week to buy necessities and having a mostly peaceful life away from the military.

He looked up as two figures stepped into his shop. A blond, blue-eyed young man, now older. And a woman with short raven hair, much like his own. They waved to him, to which he returned lightly and took their orders. Swiftly he whipped up their teas, refusing the payment they handed to him.

_It’s on the house._

They finally gave in after some protests, settling themselves at a table near the counter. The man watched them talk, occasionally joining in with a few well-placed comments, once or twice letting a gentle smile slip onto his scarred features. He enjoyed their company like no other, it was with them, his friends, _his family_ , that he could really open up. (And yes, after so long together, he _did_ consider them his new family.)

The squad he had taken the last stand with, had fought alongside them in the final, decisive battle against the titans… they were still here. Like him, they had decided to settle down after they had stopped the rumbling and start a proper life, one far away from war, the military and politics. They lived in this very city, the same one as his. Those Marleyans they’d worked with were here too, since they didn’t exactly have a country to go back to. They’d gone back to their respective families, who had moved here since their homes had been destroyed by the rumbling.

They all had become somewhat friends, after all that they’d gone through together. They occasionally stopped by to enjoy some tea and catch up with each other. They each had their own lives now, couldn’t stop by often so they all treasured the time they spent together in rare instances like these, just like the old days, from those missions they had done as a squad, in various life-and-death situations and finally, fighting that final battle that took so many lives, whether military or civilian. He was lucky to have lived.

The buildings and houses had been rebuilt and restored to their former glory, almost unrecognisable from the destroyed, crumbling structures they had once been. The civilians were allowed back to their homes, given time to settle in and live a normal life again.

The titans had finally been eradicated, gone off the face of the earth. Their corpses and bones had long crumbled away. Only the rows and rows of white marble stones that stood in the city cemetery and the few monuments scattered around were proof that they had ever existed.

The man remembered all his fallen friends and family. Out of the hundreds, _thousands_ that shared the same ideals as his and worked toward that goal, less than a hundred survivors remained now, even less of those who had fought on the front lines to save humanity. _He_ was one of the few left. He sometimes wondered if he should have gone, died instead of them, they were the ones who truly deserved to be here now. But-

His mother’s words came to him. The last words she ever said to him...

“ _Live._ ”

So he did. He lived in their place, would experience all the things they didn’t get to. Since they didn’t have the chance, he would do it for them. They had given their lives, so he had to at least make his own meaningful.

He looked out the window. Rays of light shone into the shop, bathing him in an ethereal golden glow. A light breeze blew in and ruffled the ends of his hair. Far, far away there was the ocean, sunlight shining off its surface and reflecting it a thousand times over.

Laughter could be heard outside, of the children laughing, playing in the streets. The adults were at ease and smiling, never living in fear like those before them. There were no wars, no negativity and hard feelings. They were all happy and at peace. Watching them all now, he felt content.

_Everyone…_

_I wish you were here to see this._

_This was what we’ve all been fighting for._

Sipping his tea, the man sat and watched the sun set.

**Author's Note:**

> Usually I write angst-related things but I wanted to write something peaceful and fluffy for a change.
> 
> Wrote this in about a day, so I feel there are lots of mistakes and think it’s a bit messed up so may edit.
> 
> I expect Levi would have mellowed down after a few years, but not entirely :|
> 
> Leave a comment or kudo if you enjoyed, constructive criticism is also welcome :o
> 
> *will possibly make some art for this??


End file.
